1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine tool, and more particularly to a machine tool including an improved tool support device having a compact and shielded configuration for suitably shielding and protecting the tool support device and for preventing the tool support device from being contaminated and damaged by dirt and cut chips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical machine tools comprise a tool support device having a tool storage rack for supporting various tools or tool adapters at the outer peripheral portion thereof and having a rotating or driving device for rotating the tool storage rack relative to a machine base of the machine tools.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,498 to Hague et al. discloses one of the typical machine tools comprising a spindle assembly associated with an indexing tool storage rack on which a number of distinct tools are stored.
However, a complicated tool carrier and transport means is developed and includes a complicated sprocket-and-chain system for rotating or driving the tool storage rack to rotate relative to the machine base of the machine tools such that the manufacturing cost will be greatly increased, in addition, the complicated sprocket-and-chain system will be exposed and will be easily contaminated and damaged by dirt and cut chips.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,081 to Okunishi et al. discloses another typical multi-spindle head-replacing machine tool comprising a number layers or guide rails for supporting or carrying a number of multi-spindle heads, and an elevator mechanism disposed sideways from the guide rails at a place offset from the movable rail for providing replacement of the multi-spindle heads between the guide rails.
However, similarly, the complicated guide rails may have a greatly increased manufacturing cost, and the complicated guide rails may also be exposed and will be easily contaminated and damaged by dirt and cut chips.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,840 to Xiao discloses a further typical tool changer for a machine tool and comprising a tool storage rack or disc magazine on which a number of distinct tools are stored and retained with retainers. The typical tool changer discloses the retainers for retaining the tools on the tool storage rack or the disc magazine, but failed to disclose the rotating or driving device for rotating the tool storage rack or the disc magazine relative to the machine base of the machine tools.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional tool support devices for the machine tools.